What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) Occupational Licensing
License required in 30 states
38th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$303
What They Do
Iron and steel contractors contract with clients to raise, place and unite iron or steel girders, columns and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. They may also erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the steel fabricators or welders who work for them. In some states, licensing requirements differ based on the setting. Those with a residential license may work only on residential properties, while those with a commercial license may work on commercial properties. Other states require the same license regardless of the setting, and this report records that license in both settings. Many states have contract minimums before the contractor’s license applies. See Appendix B for details.
Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) Licensing Overview
Thirty states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential). On average, these laws require $303 in fees, 368 days of education and about 1 exam. Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) Licenses have the 38th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) the most regulated?
Out of the 30 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) the least regulated?
Out of the 30 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) costs the least in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) license?
An occupational license for a Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) takes the longest to obtain in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada.It takes 1460 days (4 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) license?
An occupational license for a Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia (0 days).
What states require exams for an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) license?
To obtain an occupational license for an Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) there is at least one exam required in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Thirty states license iron and steel contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require over a year (392 days) of education and experience, $318 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 18 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 38th most burdensome.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022| Burden Rank | State | Occupations Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Alabama | 63 | $448 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Arkansas | 72 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Arizona | 68 | $466 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Connecticut | 65 | $220 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | 61 | $442 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Florida | 55 | $364 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Louisiana | 77 | $255 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 50 | $500 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Maryland | 58 | $433 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Mississippi | 65 | $290 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 66 | $154 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 30 | Nebraska | 61 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | New Jersey | 54 | $110 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | New Mexico | 66 | $324 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 1 | Nevada | 75 | $1,040 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Oregon | 69 | $310 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0.80 | 5 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 60 | $270 | 365 | None | 1 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | West Virginia | 67 | $195 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
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